Printing type



Nov. 4, 1941. s. SIEGELBAUM PRINTING TYPE Filed Oct. 14, 1938 vVINVENTOR S'oZama/Llfi E 'ATToRNEY two Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE' PRINTINGQTYPF f a 1 Solomon Siegelbaum, New York,N. Y; Application October 14, 193s, Serial 1%. 234,986

(c1. 101 s9s-) 7 Claims.

- This invention relates to improvements in printing type, andparticularly to improvements in single types such as Monotype andfoundry type.

One of the objections to the use of single types such as Monotype andfoundry type is that the spaces work up and contact the. inking surfacein the type inking operation and then contact the paper in the printingoperation, with the result of faultyprinting and an unsatisfactory.appearance of the printed sheet. This objec- .tion and others inherentin the use of single types are entirely overcome by this invention.

Theinvention has for its main object the provision of type and, leadadapted to be interlocked to prevent workups and pull-outson the pressand also to prevent type and spaces from dropping out when the form islifted.

Another object of the invention is to provide type and leads which willbe so interlocked that an entire set line may be handled as a unit,making the handling of movable type more convenient.

Another object of the invention is to provide solid without removing theleads from the lines.

There are other objects and advantages of the invention which willappear hereinafter. g

It will be understood thatthis improvement applies. as well to quads,borders, slugs, brass lrule furniture, etc., whether made of metal,wood, plastic or other materials.

,In the drawing: 7 Fig. 1 is a plan view of two lines oftypemade inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 a transverse vertical sectional view on :theline 2-2 of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, l similar to Fig. 2,showing the head of the type ,two linesof type spacedapart by an extralead;

. Fig. 9 a transverse vertical, sectional view. of lines of type showinga slightly modified form of lead; and

,the .recess 2.

Fig .;l0 a detail view of a slightly modified form of space piece. I l IReferring to the various parts by reference characters, I designates asingle type. At its front the type is cast to form the shallow recess 2extending from the bottom or foot of the type to a pointslightly belowthe head or top of the type. fIhe upper wall of this recess is formed bya -forwardlyprojeoting short shoulder 3,;said shoulder forming the lowerside of a forwardly projecting head portion 3*. .type,containing-the-printing face, is of full point size, while the body ofthe type from the shoulder 3 to the foot of the type is reduced by thedepth of therecess 2. In that portion of the front face of the typewhich forms the long wall of thElI'BCQSS a transverse groove 4 is formedapproximately midway between the shoulder 3 and thefootzor bottom of thetype. This groove extends entirely across the front of the type.

Therecess 2 is soshallow and the forwardly extending head 3? is so shortthat the weight of the overhanging head portion will be a very smallfraction of the whole,weight of the type. {The said head portion will-bemainly outside of the vertical plane of 'the impression surface oftheprinting character on'the type face as clear- :l Shown nFi 2. 7 8 and9 nd willbe substantially unaffected by the downward com.. ipressiontress of the printing operation. Be- ;cause of the slight reduction inthe cross sec- ;tionalareaof the body of the type the type will beself-sustaining in set position thereby per mitting individual settingof type in a line. The .head portion 3? serves as a means to indicatetheproper setting position of the type and there is no danger o finverted letters being set. I

The space pieces ,5 areequal in point size to (lead.v Each spacepiece isformed with a transverse groove .6 .inits, front face correspondingin,shape-withthe grooveA in the type. This groove ,6 ismidway between theupper and lower ends ofthe: space piec and will register with thecorresponding grooves in the type when .set in a line, and thefrontsurface of the space piece willbe flush with that portion of the .frontsurface of the type which forms the long wall of The assembled line oftype and spaces are locked'tog'ether by a lead 1 which is adapted to fitin the recess 2. The lead is equal ;in.thick- The head of the ness tothe depth of the recess 2, so that when in position its front surfacewill be flush with the front surface of the head 3 of the type above theshoulder 3, and it is of such width as to extend from a point close tothe shoulder 3 to the bottom or foot of the type. The front face of thelead is formed with a longitudinally extending groove 8, and its rearface which contacts with the long wall of the recess 2 is formed with alongitudinally extending rib' 8 the groove and rib being located midwaybetween the upper and lower edges of the lead. The rib 8 is adapted tofit in the grooves 4 of the type v and the grooves 6 of the spaces whenthe type and spaces are assembled in a line, and lock them to the leadagainst material independent upward or downward movement relative toeach other and to the lead. There might be a slight vertical relativemovement of the type and lead due to the slight clearance between therib of the lead and the upper and lower ends of the grooves in the typeand spaces. A slight clearance is provided between the shoulder 3 andthe upper edge of the lead to facilitate the insertion and removal ofthe lead. The rib 8 is smaller than the grooves 4 in the type andgrooves 6 in the spaces to facilitate the insertion of the lead.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lead fills the recess 2 in the type except forthe slight clearance under shoulder 3. The front face of the lead iswithout projections, and is flush with the front face 'of the forwardlyprojecting head portion 3' so that when assembled in a line, the typeand the lead occupy the same transverse area in the line as a standardtype of the same point size would occupy. This permits the lines of typeto be set solid while interlocked with the leads. The rear sides of thetype and spaces are smooth and the forward face of the lead in which isformed groove 8, bears against the smooth rear face of the next line oftype when the lines are set solid, so that an entire interlocked line,together with the interlocked lead, may be readily removed as a unitfrom the stick, galley, or chase, for purpose of correction or changeand with less danger of pying.

The type may be set directly against the lead, and because of the recess2 which receives the lead all danger of inverted letters is avoided.

The groove 8 and the rib 8 are located midway between the upper andlower edges of the lead so that it may be used with either edge up undershoulder 3. This simplifies the handling of the leads. The grooves 6 areformed in the spaces midway between the upper and lower ends thereof sothat they maye be used with either end up. This has obvious advantages.

Fig. 3 shows a type with a head portion reduced in point size and caston a smaller body than it was originally designed for. The extent of thereduction of the head portion is determined by the design of the typeface, depth of the descenders, etc. In this figure the lead and the bodyportion below the head portion indicate the original size. The reductionin point size makes the type flexible, enabling one to set the linescloser if necessary by merely reducing the thickenss of the lead.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the leads are shown of sufficient thickness to serve asmeans for spacing the set lines of type.

In Fig. 8 the lines of set type are spaced apart by inserting an extralead, the rib 8 of the extra lead fitting the groove 8 of the adjacent.contacting lead.

In Fig. 9 the leads are shown with a rib on one face the opposite facebeing smooth and without the groove 8. This form of lead is desirable incertain applications of the invention.

The spaces 5 may be formed with grooves 6 in their opposit faces asshown in Fig. 10, in order that either face may be placed in contactwith the lead.

The term front used in the foregoing specification and in the succeedingclaims is to be construed as designating that portion of the type whichis uppermost when the type is placed or seated in the holder or stick inwhich it is set for printing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawing.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect this is capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a printing type formed with a solid bodyrectangular in transverse section at all points in its height, recessedon its front surface to form a short forwardly extending head portionwhich bears the type face and constitutes the printing surface, saidrecess being so shallow that the weight of the over-hanging head portionwill be a very small fraction of the whole weight of the type, and willbe unaifected by the downward compression stress of the printingOperation and the type will be selfsustaining in set position to permitindividual setting of type in a line, and a thin lead fitting withinsaid recess with its front surface substantially fiush with the frontsurface of the forwardly projecting head portion of. the type to permitthe lines of type to be set solid with the leads enclosed within andbetween the lines.

2. The combination of a printing type recessed on its front surface toform a short forwardly extending head portion which bears the type faceand constitute the printing surface, said recess being so shallow thatthe said head portion will be mainly outside of the vertical plane ofthe impression surface of the printing character on the type face andthe Weight of the over-hanging head portion will be a very smallfraction of the whole. weight of the type, and will be substantiallyunaffected by the downward compression stress of the printing operationand the type will be self-sustaining in set position to permitindividual setting of type in a line, and a lead fitting within saidrecess with one face contacting the vertical wall of said recess and itsfront surface in a vertical plane parallel with the vertical frontsurface of the forwardly projecting head portion of the type.

3. The combination of a printing type formed with a solid bodyrectangular in transverse section at all points in its height recessedon its front surface to form a slight forwardly extending head portionwhich bears the type face and constitutes the printing surface, saidrecess extending from said head portion to the foot or bottom of thetype, the rear surface of said type being smooth, said recess being soshallow that the weight of the over-hanging head portion will be a verysmall fraction of the whole weight of the type, and will besubstantially unaffected by the downward compression stress of theprinting operation and the type will be self-sustaining in set positionto permit individual setting of type in a line, a groove being formedacross the surface of the type in the wall of the said recessapproximately midway between the said head portion and the bottom of thetype, a lead fitting within said recess and extending from a point closeto the underside of said head portion to the bottom of the type with oneface contacting the vertical wall of said recess and its front surfacein a vertical plane parallel with the vertical front surface of theforwardly projecting head portion of the type, and a rib on the leadadapted to fit within the said groove in the type body to interlock thetype to the lead.

4. The combination of a printing type recessed on its front surface toform a slight forwardly extending head portion which bears the type faceand constitutes the printing surface, said recess being so shallow thatthe weight of the over-hanging head portion will be a very smallfraction of the whole weight of the type, and will be mainly outside ofthe downward compression stress of the printing operation and the typewill be self-sustaining in set position to permit individual setting oftype in a line, a lead fitting within said recess with one facecontacting the vertical wall of said recess and its front surface in avertical plane parallel with the vertical front surface of the forwardlyprojecting head portion of the type, and means to lock the lead to thetype against separation by a relative up and down movement between thetype and the lead.

5, The combination of a printing type formed with a solid body smooth onits rear surface and rectangular in transverse section at all points inits height and recessed on its front surface to form a short forwardlyextending head portion which bears the type face and constitutes theprinting surface, said recess being so shallow that the weight of theover-hanging head portion will be a very small fraction of the wholeweight of the type, and will be unaffected by the compression stress ofthe printing operation and the type will be self-sustaining in setposition to permit individual setting of type in a line, a thin leadfitting within said recess with one face contacting the vertical wall ofsaid recess and its front surface substantially flush with the frontsurface of the forwardly projecting head portion of the type to permitthe lines of type to be set solid with the leads enclosed within andbetween the lines, a space piece equal in 6. The combination of aprinting type formed with a solid body rectangular in transverse sectionat all points in its height with. a smooth rear surface and recessed onits front surface to form a slight forwardly extending head portionwhich bears the type face and constitutes the printing surface, saidrecess extending from' said head portion to the foot or bottom of thetype and being so shallow that the weight of the over-hanging headportion will be a very smallfraction of the whole weight of the type,and will be substantially unaffected by the downward compression stressof the printing operation and the type will be, self-sustaining in setposition to permit individual setting of type in a line, a groove. beingformed across the surface of the type in the wall of the said recessapproximately midway between the said head ,portion and the bottom ofthe type, a lead fitting within said recess and extending from a pointclose to the underside of said head portion to the bottom of the typewith one face contacting the vertical wall of said recess and its frontsurface in a vertical plane parallel with the vertical front surface ofthe forwardly projecting head portion of the type, a space piece equalin thickness from front to rear to the recessed portion of thebody ofthe type and formed with a groove across its front surface, and a rib onthe lead adapted to fit within the said grooves in the type body andspace piece to interlock the type and spaceportion will be a very smallfraction of the wholeweight of the type, and will be substantiallyunaffected by the downward compression stress of the printing operation,and the type will be selfsustaining in set position to permit individualsetting of type in a line, said recess and said groove being adapted toreceive an interlocking lead.

SOLOMON SIEGELBAUM.

